New guidance issued Tuesday by an influential physician group no longer advises people 60 and older to adopt a daily aspirin regimen to prevent a first heart attack or stroke.
Meanwhile, the new guidance also stated that people ages 40 to 59 should only take daily aspirin if they have a high risk of cardiovascular disease, and then only in consultation with a doctor.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a physician group that helps steer medical best practices nationwide, released the finalized recommendations six months after its draft guidance indicated that bleeding risks for adults in their 60s and older who have suffered neither cardiovascular affliction outweigh the benefits of taking the long-accepted deterrent.
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Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for more than one in four deaths, Bloomberg reported.
The findings, based on analysis of randomized clinical trials involving thousands of participants, also concluded that little benefit results from continuing a low-dose aspirin regimen beyond the age of 75, according to the news outlet.
Dr. Michael Barry, task force chair and professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, told ABC News that “current evidence” supports the adjusted guidelines for people 60 and older.
“Because the chance of internal bleeding increases with age, the potential harms of aspirin use cancel out the benefits in this age group,” Barry said.
Meanwhile, Dr. John Wong, interim chief scientific officer and professor of medicine at Tufts Medical Center, stressed the importance of those who fall into the 40 to 59 age range consulting directly with their physician to determine if low-dose aspirin is worth the risks, a recommendation echoed by fellow task force member, Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Dr. Steven Nissen.
“It is important for the public to understand that for the vast majority of Americans without pre-existing heart disease, aspirin does not provide a net benefit. The harms are approximately equal to any benefits. The (task force) is just catching up with this widely accepted scientific viewpoint. For nearly 20 years, the (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has advised against routine use of aspirin for prevention in patients without heart disease,” Nissen told ABC News.
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According to Bloomberg, aspirin can be easily purchased over-the-counter and has “long been considered an accessible prevention strategy for those worried about their heart health because it works to reduce blood clotting,” which, if left untreated, can lead to heart attack or stroke.
“We want to emphasize that these recommendations are focused on starting aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. Anyone who already takes aspirin and has questions about it should speak with their healthcare professional,” Wong told ABC News.
Likewise, the new guidance in no way affects the standing recommendation for using aspirin to guard against experiencing a second heart attack, stroke or other major cardiovascular issue, the network reported.
Read the task force’s complete report.
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